P1-B crystal meth from Cambodia seized

PDEA seized last Thursday around a billion pesos worth of illegal drugs placed in aluminum pallets in a warehouse in Malabon City, Metro Manila.

Director General Aaron Aquino of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) stated that the illegal substance came from Cambodia and must have been part of a shipment from the Golden Triangle drug syndicate.

Totaling 146 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (crystal meth/shabu) were packed in 114 bags and then placed in aluminum pallets that were stored inside the Goldwin Commercial Warehouse.

He also added this latest haul is “connected” to the shipments found in Dasmariñas and Tanza in Cavite in the previous month of February.

Authorities seized 274 kilos of meth worth P1.9 billion in Tanza on February 3 and 36 kilos of shabu worth P244 million in Dasmariñas on February 13.

Director Aquino stated they conducted background checks on the owners of Goldwin Commercial Warehouse and found no pieces of evidence linking them to the illegal drugs trade.

Yet Goldwin acquiesced the highest bid when the Bureau of Customs (BOC) auctioned off an abandoned shipment of tapioca starch on April 22.

Aquino added the PDEA and the Armed Forces of the Philippines got wind of the tapioca starch shipment when they conducted a forensic investigation on the mobile phone seized from the suspects arrested during the Dasmariñas operation.

The suspects were then identified as Alexander Jun Wah Ting Lee and Patrick John Gankee. As was based on the information they gathered, Aquino added they learned that the tapioca starch shipment would conceal illegal drugs.

“During the forensic investigations, we learned that their group is expecting a shipment of illegal drugs concealed in tapioca starch consigned to Goroyam Trading.”

The BOC found the tapioca starch shipment abandoned on March 5.

“PDEA and BOC conducted a search on the shipment wherein we learned that indeed it contains illegal drugs concealed in the aluminum pallets,” Aquino added.

Aquino stated they agreed to auction off the tapioca starch shipment. Goldwin submitted the highest bid in hopes to arrest other members of the drug ring.

Said Malabon operation against Goldwin was carried out by the PDEA, Bureau of Customs, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard.